Battery cells for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Partial Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) are packaged in locations that are spaced away from crash zones to minimized any risk of damage during a collision event.
The tunnel that runs longitudinally along the middle of the floor may be a suitable package space for the battery because it is spaced away from the extremities of the vehicle. Under floor packaging of a typical battery pack may include cells arranged longitudinally and transversely in the vehicle. The entire battery pack may be housed within the tunnels laid out longitudinally and transversely in the floor of the vehicle. The area under the tunnels is a relatively a safe zone for the battery cells and performs well in full frontal and rear barrier crash tests.
However, in side crashes Moving Deformable Barrier (MDB) and Side Pole crash tests the vehicle has a tendency to bend and wrap around the impacting barrier or pole causing the tunnel to collapse laterally. The floor wraps around the pole and forces the tunnel to collapse on itself since the body side and underbody do not provide sufficient resistance. As a result of the tunnel collapsing, battery cells can suffer damage in such a crash mode.
Strengthening the rocker, the cross members and underbody do not provide effective and weight efficient protection for the battery cells in the tunnel space. Up gauging of all underbody structural components including the tunnel, cross-members, and adding tunnel reinforcements and bulk heads can mitigate tunnel collapse to some extent. However, resulting weight penalty generally out-weighs the benefits and does not provide an acceptable solution.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems relating to securing a battery pack in a BEV, HEV or PHEV type of vehicle.